WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The person constantly busy with mind-straining challenges and creative work is at a low risk of suffering from memory impairment, according to a study published in Neurology, the journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
During the research, scientists observed more than 7,000 Norwegians in 350 occupations through their adulthood. They examined the cognitive complexity of various jobs based on the daily routine, and mental work.
After the participants crossed the age of 70, the researchers conducted various memory and thinking tests to classify them as having either no cognitive impairment, mild cognitive impairment or dementia.
The researchers found that people with least mentally demanding jobs had a 66 percent greater risk of mild cognitive impairment, and a 31 percent greater risk of dementia.
'Most people in routine jobs in our sample included housekeepers, custodians, construction workers and mail carriers,' said lead author Dr. Trine Edwin, a researcher at Oslo University Hospital in Norway.
Meanwhile, the persons with jobs demanding creative thinking, information analysis, problem-solving and idea formation, were found to be at a low risk of suffering from cognitive impairment and dementia.
'There were lawyers, doctors, accountants, technical engineers and people in public service in this group, but the most common occupation was teaching,' Edwin said. 'Teachers have a lot of interaction with students and parents and have to explain and analyze information. It's not so routine-oriented.'
Moreover, the results suggest that the people with less stimulating jobs should pursue further education or more challenging pastimes outside work to keep their memory power intact.
'Our results show the value of having an occupation that requires more complex thinking as a way to maintain memory and thinking in old age,' Edwin concluded 'The workplace is really important in promoting cognitive health.'
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